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12.16.2006

Flaming Lips...

...And I don't mean the band.

A deceptively simple soup which makes a quick lunch is Mithila's Mushroom and Onion soup*. Mithila was my family's exchange student from India two years back. Unfortunately I was already living in Geneva so I only met her on one occasion. Mithila has a thing for spice. She is the only girl I know who could easily go through one of those large red bottles you find on the table of authentic Vietnamese restaurants. Girl puts chili sauce on her turkey sandwich. I'm just sayin' is all...

Anyhow, one thing she introduced me to (besides the wonder and amazement that IS frozen roti), that I love to whip up on the spur of the moment is her Mushroom and Onion soup. I had a bowl for lunch today with some of the Dukkah nut dip that Morven sent me in my Box of Kiwi.

*This is NOTHING like a typical onion soup (which is yet to come). This is mostly a broth, a very spicy broth, made from a few key ingredients.

Mithila's Mushroom and Onion Soup one bowl serving size

1/2 onion1 mushroom (more if you like, of whatever variety you likepat of butterwatersalt and pepper

It is just that simple. Slice up your onions as thin as you possibly can. In your soup pot fry onions until golden with a decent amount of butter. While they are happily sizzling away slice your mushrooms as thin as possible (at this point if I want a fast soup I have my water boiling in one of those rapid carafes) and then add to onions. The pot will accrue some browning at the bottom of the pan, don't worry, this goes away once you add the hot water. Let the ingredients cook together for awhile and add a lot of pepper, just this side of too much pepper. If your lips don't burn when you eat it, add more pepper. There should be pepper dregs at the bottom of your bowl. Also, be sure to be generous with your salt shaker as that is what is really going to bring out the flavors. Beware, this soup is not for the faint of heart. Enjoy! Mwhahahahahah.